Fastener device



Nov. 17, 1959 J. TAYLOR FASTENER 'DEVICE Filed Feb. 4. 1957 1 NVENTOR. JOHN 774 V1. 0/?

Arromvsv United States Patent FASTENER DEVICE John Taylor, New York, 'N.Y.'

Application Eebruary 4, 1957, Serial No. 638,018

2 Claims. (Cl. 155196) This invention relates to fastening devices and, more particularly, to fasteners for attaching upholstered plywood seats to chair frames without the use of additional brackets or screws.

Because plywood chair seats are usually quite thin, substantial difficulty has been encountered in attempting to attach such seats to chair frames with screws and similar fastening devices. Since there is very little penetration, the screws do not have sufficient engagement with the plywood, and thus are not entirely satisfactory for holding the seat in a proper assembled position.

Furthermore, the screws used to secure the conventional seat fastening bracket to the rims of the chair frames sometimes penetrate the chair rim, thereby damaging clothing and other items that are brought into contact therewith. In addition, the use of screws and the like is expensive, in terms of material and labor costs.

An object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a fastener for securing seats to the seat frame of chairs, that is simple in construction, simple to install, and which will overcome the aforementioned difficulties.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fastener for securing seats to the seat frame of a chair that does not require the use of additional fastening means, such as screws, and which may be installed with a minimum amount of effort and time.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a self-securing fastener for securing seats to chair frames which includes mechanical advantage means for effecting a locking action therebetween.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a simple fastener for attaching seat panels to chair frames that may be manufactured in large quantities at relatively low cost and which includes means for positively locking the seat and frame together.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the acompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a fastener made in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the fastener shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the fastener shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a chair seat and chair frame, showing the fastener made in accordance with the present invention in operative association therewith;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of a chair seat panel adapted to be secured to a chair frame by fasteners made in accordance with the present invention; and

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawing, a fastener 10 made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a main body portion 12 having a chisel-shaped extension 14 extending outwardly from that extends through the extension 14, for purposes hereinafter described.

A supplemental body portion 19 of substantially reduced width, extends upwardly from and parallel with the main body portion 12 and defines a pair of laterally extending shoulders 20 therewith. The outermost .extremity of this supplemental body portion 19 is provided with an angularly related projection 22 that terminates in a downwardly depending point or hook 23-. As is clearly shown in Fig. 2, the projection 22 extends outwardly from the main and supplemental body portions in a direction substantially opposite to the direction in which the chisel-shaped extension 14 extends. Thus,the device formed by these elements, together withthedownwardl-y depending hook 23, is somewhat .of .Z-shaped configuration, both the sharp-edged, chisel-shaped extension 14 and the angularly related projection 22 defining an obtuse angle with the respective main and supplemental body portions.

Referring now to Figs. 4 to 6, the use of the aforementioned fastener for securing a support panel, such as a plywood seat 26, to the frame 28 of a chair, will become apparent. The seat support panel 26 is provided with a plurality of apertures or holes 25 in the vicinity of each of the chair legs and in immediate proximity with the adjacent portions of the seat frame. The hook portion of each fastener is inserted by angling the sup plemental body portion 19 upwardly through such openings 25 in the seat, whereupon the shoulders 20 formed by the wider body portion abut with the lower surface of the seat and prevent the continued upward movement of the fasteners therethrough. A hammer 29 may then be used to strike the body portion 12 to drive the sharp edge of the chisel-shaped extension '14 into the wooden frame 28 of the chair. As the fastener is struck in this maner, the angularly related projection 22 together with the supplemental body portion 19 is rotated about the fulcrum-like shoulders 20 so as to forcibly drive the hook 23 downwardly into the top of the seat 26. Simultaneously, the supplemental body portion 19 becomes wedged within the opening 25 so as to prevent movement of the chair seat 26 relative to the chair frame 28. The diverging bifurcated legs 16 of the chisel-shaped extension 14 engage at spaced points with the chair frame 28 so that certain wood fibers therebetween are forced through the apex of the V-shaped opening and into the enlarged opening 17 where they are permitted to expand slightly. This engagement enhances the gripping action of the chisel-shaped extension with the frame member so as to prevent disassembly thereof.

It will be noted that the fastener does not extend through the seat frame, whereby a finished and attractive appearance may be had without extensive hand labor. The padding 31 may be applied to the top surface of the seat panel, following which, the fabric or plastic cover 32 may be secured to the seat panel 26 in any well known manner.

It will be recognized that as many fasteners 10 may be used, as desired, to properly secure the seat to the frame. Whenever it is desired to recover the chair seat or repair certain parts thereof, a screw driver or similar tool may be used as a wedge to disengage the chiselshaped extension 14 from the frame 28, whereupon the entire fastener may be rotated to permit the withdrawal of the supplemental body portion 19 from the opening 25, to remove the seat. New seats may thus be very readily replaced.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to the specific form shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such is not to be construed as imparting limitations upon the invention, which is best defined by the claims appended thereto. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A fastener for securing a seat panel to the seat frame of a chair comprising a straight main body portion having at one end a longitudinally extending supplemental portion coplanar therewith and adapted to project through an opening in the seat panel, a chisel-shaped extension projecting angularly outwardly from an opposite end of said main body portion for securing engagement with the seat frame of a chair, and an angularly related projection extending outwardly from said supplemental portion at an obtuse angle with respect to said main body portion and in a direction opposite from said chisel-shaped extension, and a hook depending from the free end of said projection adapted to securely engage with the outer surface of the seat panel in response to driving movement of said chisel-shaped portion toward said seat frame, said supplemental portion and said main body portion defining at their junction, a shoulder adapted to engage with the inner surface of the seat panel for effecting limited rotation of said projection about said shoulder in response to said driving movement of said chisel-shaped extension to thrust said hook into engagement wtih said outer surface of said seat panel.

2. A fastener as set forth in claim 1, wherein said chisel-shaped extension comprises a pair of bifurcated legs defining an outwardly diverging V-shaped opening therebetween, and an enlarged bore extending through said chisel-shaped extension in communication with said V-shaped opening, said chisel-shaped extension and said projection being substantially parallel with each other and extending outwardly in opposite directions from said main body portion and said supplemental portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 344,691 Thomas June 29, 1886 1,524,228 Ballantine Jan. 27, 1925 1,893,537 Cruze Jan. 10, 1933 1,907,720 Bolin May 9, 1933 2,034,080 Bitzenburger Mar. 17, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS 525,710 Canada May 29, 1956 

